$9m Rosebud Plaza revamp, more time needed for Mornington Village expansion
Revamps are on the cards for three retail hubs, including the largest in the region’s south. Here’s what we know.
South East
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Makeovers are still on the cards for a trio of Mornington Peninsula shopping centres.
Rosebud Plaza has now released more detailed plans for its $9.3 million revamp which includes demolishing a Woolworths supermarket and bringing six new tenants to the site.
Mornington Village Shopping Centre has applied for more time for its plan to extend the Main Street shopping centre and Mornington Central was expected to decide this week on how it would fill the space left by Target – which recently exited the complex.
The Rosebud Plaza plan, which was recently posted online, revealed Woolworths would move from a stand alone building on Point Nepean Road to space inside the main centre currently held by Target.
The Rosebud Target is scheduled to close later this year.
The existing BWS next to Woolworths would be replaced with a Dan Murphy’s.
A Development Plan Overlay (DPO) on the Plaza site means the proposed changes do not need to be advertised and locals cannot object to or appeal the plan to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
Mornington Peninsula Shire councillor Antonella Celi said planning officers would assess the application to ensure it was in line with approved permit conditions applied across the whole site many years ago.
Cr Celi said the type of retail businesses that opened at the site was a Plaza management decision.
When the plan was first announced in February locals said Rosebud did not need another liquor outlet.
While some were pleased the changes did not mean an extra bottle shop, others questioned bringing more traders to the already struggling Point Nepean Road retail strip.
Julie Withall was also worried about losing the convenience of the current Woolworths.
“As a person with arthritis I won’t be able to walk from the car park to the new Woolworths inside the plaza,’ she said.
“I’m sure there are a lot of people with similar conditions, disabilities and the elderly who also will find the extra distance to get to the new proposed site will also find it a struggle.”
Residents also had concerns about a proposed expansion of Mornington Village Shopping Centre.
Mornington Village Shopping Centre was put up for sale in March and is currently under offer.
The Main Street centre recently applied for another two years to extend the existing two storey hub with undercover parking.
The plan, which does not need to be readvertised, includes a proposal to subdivide part of the site and requests a reduction in carparking.
Mornington Peninsula Shire development services manager David Simon said the council was assessing the application.
“Larger proposals may often require more time to start or complete than the default periods provided within the Planning and Environment Act,” Mr Simon said.
The application for more time has prompted mixed responses from locals.
Martin Lenard was worried about the town losing car parks.
He said residents should be consulted before more spaces were removed.
However, John Pugsley said the overhaul was “desperately needed”.
“It is in a great location but is badly in need of an update to compete with other centres. It will be a great asset for Mornington once redeveloped,” he said.
Mornington Village Shopping Centre was put up for sale in March and is currently under offer.
Mornington Village and Rosebud Plaza have been contacted.
